| For a beginner or returning cyclist a visit to a modern | | | | absolute minimum required to qualify as a functioning |
| bicycle shop can be a bewildering experience. It's not | | | | bike. And don't expect a super expensive bike to still |
| like the good old days when the choice amounted to | | | | be attached to the railings when you come back to it. |
| Racer, Roadster or Folder. Now it's like a maze, with | | | | A commuting bike is above all a tool. It doesn't need to |
| ten varieties of mountain bikes, several classes of | | | | be super-light with all the bells and whistles but it does |
| street bikes and an ever growing range of road bikes, | | | | need to be up to the job of day in day out riding in all |
| tourers and racers. Luckily it's not as complex as it | | | | weather conditions. We reckon no less than £200, |
| seems and armed with a short list of answers to the | | | | whilst £600 will get you something quite special to |
| following questions even a child can find the right bike | | | | last a decade or more. |
| for their needs. | | | | Sizing |
| How far? | | | | Bikes, like shoes and cardigans, come in different sizes. |
| Broadly speaking, for rides up to... three miles almost | | | | Sizes vary between brands so don't count on an 18" |
| any bike will do. Unless you live somewhere particularly | | | | Brand X fitting the same as an 18" Brand Z. These are |
| hilly a cheap shopper or roadster will cope with short | | | | the key considerations: Stand-over, Saddle height, |
| distances perfectly well. An able bodied person can | | | | Reach. |
| cover such a distance in around fifteen minutes so you | | | | Minimum Stand-Over Height |
| simply won't be on the saddle for long enough for | | | | Standing with the bike between your legs, it is essential |
| discomfort to become a serious issue. And reliability | | | | that there is a decent gap between the underneath of |
| isn't a major concern since the worst that can happen | | | | you and the top-tube. It's simply the difference |
| is that you have to walk a mile and a half. | | | | between your inside-leg measurement and the height |
| A six mile commute equates to half an hour on the | | | | of the top tube from the ground. To establish your |
| bike twice a day. At this distance saddle comfort and | | | | Stand-over clearance simply stand astride the bike |
| bike-fit really start to play a part so a six mile bike | | | | with the top tube under your crotch and with your feet |
| should be designed for comfort and reliability with | | | | flat on the floor, then grab the handlebar stem with one |
| large-section comfy tyres and an upright riding position. | | | | hand and the saddle with the other and lift the bike up |
| At nine miles and above, commuting becomes a rather | | | | as high as it will go. Try and keep it level and ask a |
| more serious business. At roughly an hour and a half | | | | bystander to measure how much gap you have under |
| of daily travel time a nine mile bike should still be | | | | your wheels. On a street bike, racer or touring bike this |
| comfortable and reliable, but now efficiency becomes | | | | might be as little as an inch (25mm), on a mountain bike |
| more important. A more aerodynamically efficient (bent | | | | we aim for no less than four inches (or 100mm). This |
| over) riding position and skinnier tyres trade a bit of | | | | procedure establishes the maximum frame size in that |
| comfort for speed. | | | | particular model and you can progress to.. |
| How many gears? | | | | Saddle height |
| There are bikes currently available which feature1, 2, 3, | | | | "Sit on the saddle, place the flat of your foot on the |
| 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 24, 27 or even 30 | | | | pedal and adjust the height of the saddle until you can |
| gears. A commuter on a dead flat route might only | | | | just straighten your leg. When pedalling the ball of the |
| require a single speed whilst a tourist on a fully laden | | | | foot should be directly over the middle of the pedal |
| touring bike over an alpine pass will need every gear | | | | and as a result your leg never fully straightens out". It's |
| she can get. Between five and nine is an adequate | | | | the universal bike shop saddle height adjustment |
| range for a six mile bike on moderately hilly terrain. To | | | | method. However, for a beginner this method will set |
| an extent the number of gears is determined by the | | | | the saddle way too high for comfort or confidence so |
| type of bike you choose and whether it has hub or | | | | it is the job of a good bike fitter to help the new cyclist |
| derailleur gears. | | | | find a compromise between a saddle height high |
| Which wheel size? | | | | enough for pedalling efficiency and a saddle height low |
| With the exception of folding bikes there are only two | | | | enough to feel safe. Usually, after a few weeks of |
| common wheel sizes; 26inch and 700c (also known as | | | | regular cycling our cyclist should have developed |
| 28"). 26" is derived from mountain bikes and is | | | | enough confidence to cope with a few centimetres of |
| generally available in a larger (i.e. more comfortable) | | | | extra seat height. The saddle also has a few mm of |
| range of sizes. 28" is (obviously..) larger than 26" and is | | | | fore and aft adjustment should you need it. |
| generally available in skinnier (i.e. faster) sizes. All the | | | | Reach |
| way down to super fast 18mm, about the size of your | | | | The distance from the saddle to the bars is called |
| thumb but there is some cross-over, you can get | | | | reach and it's every bit as crucial as saddle height to |
| skinny tyres for 26" and fat tyres for 28". Skinny | | | | get right. Adjusting the handlebar stem up and down |
| equals fast. Fat equals comfy. You choose. | | | | (or replacing it for one of a different length or height |
| Folding bikes often have suspension to overcome the | | | | entirely) puts the bars where you want them. High for |
| higher rolling resistance of their smaller wheels. Few | | | | more control and a sense of safety in traffic, low for |
| people ride folders more than six miles thanks to their | | | | better aerodynamics and greater speed. Too close |
| ability to sneak their bikes unnoticed onto buses and | | | | and you'll feel cramped, too far away and you'll feel |
| trains. | | | | too stretched out. At first it's hard to know how you |
| How much? | | | | are supposed feel on the bike but making a conscious |
| Some people will ride a horrid bike from the catalogue | | | | effort to be aware of your position really is the key to |
| or supermarket for many years without a grumble. At | | | | many happy miles of cycling. Adjustments can be |
| the other end of the scale are the bike snobs who | | | | usually undertaken with a single tool, the folding multi |
| wouldn't be seen dead on anything less than the most | | | | Allen key tool. So universal are they that many |
| expensive bike in the shop. Of course most people fall | | | | companies make them and many make several |
| somewhere in between, but how is a new cyclist to | | | | versions. Get one and learn how to wield it. |
| decide how much to spend? It's unrealistic to expect a | | | | Pedals to saddle, saddle to bar. Adjust the bike to fit |
| super cheap bike to be reliable, comfortable or even | | | | your body, don't force your body to fit the bike. |
| nice to ride, cost cutting at the factory leaves the | | | | |